Tag: Italy

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Summer in the Mountains? Yes, please!

The views from a Sentiero up from Chabodey, up from La Salle in the Aosta Valley. Photo: The-Ski-Guru

Our account of our summer in the mountains

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School was off, and we were ready to leave! But then my husband got the Covid bug, so we needed to postpone… Bummer! But it was the weekend of chaos at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel- maybe it was a blessing in disguise….. Our summer in the mountains was going to be postponed for five days.
 
Five days later, we left early to get in the road- thinking it could be difficult to get to the Eurotunnel on the M20. Plus, when I’ve changed the ticket for the Tuesday, it was so late, that all was sold out. I have to conform myself with a 2.20 PM departure. Not the best, as if there are any problems, they tend to accumulate during the day!
Troyes is a lovely medieval town, a great spot for a night over on route to the mountains. We've stayed at the Brit Hotel Comte de Champagne. Book your room at the Brit Hotel Comte de Champagne here Photo: The-Ski-Guru.
Troyes is a lovely medieval town, a great spot for a night over on route to the mountains. We’ve stayed at the Brit Hotel Comtes de Champagne. Book your room at the Brit Hotel Comtes de Champagne here Photo: The-Ski-Guru. Summer in the Mountains? Yes, please!
 
As we were leaving a bit late, and estimating that we could take for ever to cross the Channel, we aimed to make it to Troyes. Normally, we go to Chaumont, which we are doing in a good time, have a nap and a lovely afternoon and evening in this lovely city.

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Planning your summer holiday in the mountains and beach – our next trip

The view from the top of the Skyway Monte Bianco - Punta Hellbronner- Amazing rotating gondola that takes you up to the highest point in Italy to see the Mont Blanc and all the surrounding mountains. Photo: The-Ski-Guru.

The summer holidays are coming upon us and I am counting the days to leave this hot city and have some days off. I have been planning this summer holiday for at least half an year and cannot believe it is finally coming! We will be going to the mountains and the beach in one trip, to please all the members of the family.  Even though I will be having a couple of meetings here and there, it is still time to spend with the family and enjoy being and playing outside.

I love planning where we are going to go each year. For winter we always go to the Alps driving, and we have done already 5 years of going to Pila, just up from Aosta, one going to Madonna di Campiglio and one adding Courmayeur to the end of our stay in Aosta/Pila. We always travel by car, as we take all our equipment with us, and we are well positioned in SE London to get to Folkestone for the Eurotunnel station.

Start of the trip at the Eurotunnel - can't wait! Photo by The-Ski-Guru.
Start of the trip at the Eurotunnel – can’t wait! Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

Summer is not different. I find that purchasing flights for the family during the kids’ school holidays is very expensive, plus I do love our road trips. So off we’ll be going soon to Folkestone to board the Eurotunnel and get into another adventure.


One thing to remember is to get the car lights stickers that are obligatory for UK cars driving in the Continent, so you do not blind the cars coming the other way, the yellow vests per each person in the car, a triangle and I am not sure if the breathalysers are still requested in France. It was the case, then I’ve read that it was not the case anymore – just check online before travelling just in case! Have all these things inside the car, reachable if you are stopped by the police, not in your car boot, as you could be fined if you need to get out to get them!

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Taste of Courmayeur will start on January 26th and go through the 28th at the Courmayeur Mountain Sport Center

Taste of Courmayeur is starting this coming weekend! Photo Credit: Taste of Courmayeur and Centro Servizi Courmayeur

From January 26 to 28, the Italian resort of Courmayeur hosts an amazing gourmet event: Taste of Courmayeur where people have the chance to sample the best delicacies from the Aosta Valley and Italy as a whole with a beautifully scenic backdrop, enhanced by lights and music.

Taste of Courmayeur - 26-28 January 2018 at the Courmayeur Mountain Sports Center.
Taste of Courmayeur – 26-28 January 2018 at the Courmayeur Mountain Sports Center.

For this year’s event at the Courmayeur Mountain Sport Center, six renowned chefs will prepare their most refined and delicious dishes in a special tasting menu. The 24-course menu will be accompanied by a rich programme of activities – it’s a gourmet dream for foodies, a great festive occasion, and a unique opportunity to attend food and wine tastings and workshops with top chefs. The three-day festival aims to make haute cuisine accessible to everyone – each of the 24 dishes is priced between €6 and €10, with good-quality wine and beer as an accompaniment – and there’s also a kids’ area for young foodies.

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Driving to the Mountains

Snowy landscape - Photo by Khurt Williams - Unsplash. Driving to the mountains.

Driving to the mountains, in this case to the Alps from the UK is a very good option if you are carrying your family and you do not want to break your bank account to go skiing.

Driving to the mountains - Daniel Kainz photography - Unspalsh.com
Driving to the mountains – Daniel Kainz photography – Unspalsh.com

There are two ways to cross the channel – via a ferry or using the Eurotunnel- the Eurotunnel is great as it only takes 35 minutes to get to Calais from Folkestone.

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